[darcs-users] ANNOUNCE: vc-darcs.el version 1.9

[Juliusz Chroboczek]

> So, I'm interested if you can give me a short pro/cons between vc-darcs
> & darcsum?

They are completely orthogonal, and you're welcome to use both at the same
time.  Here's a screenshot of vc-darcs.el in action:

  http://www.pps.jussieu.fr/~jch/software/vc-darcs.png

You'll notice that the top buffer has ``darcs/up-to-date'' in the mode
line, which means that Emacs automatically consulted Darcs about this
file's status.  You'll also notice a readable version of ``darcs annotate''
in the lower buffer.

Now for a full explanation.

Darcsum doesn't infiltrate Emacs, it provides a number of additional modes
to deal with Darcs repositories.  That's pretty cool.

Vc-darcs, on the other hand, infiltrates Emacs.  You just load it, and
Emacs appears to work just as usual, but interacts with Darcs behind the
scenes.  That's pretty cool too.

You'll notice the following changes in Emacs' behaviour:

  - Emacs will no longer create backup files within Darcs repositories (on
    the assumption that the repository itself serves as a backup);
  - the mode line will display something like ``darcs/modified'' to notify
    you of the status of the file you are editing.

At some point, you will want to use the additional commands that VC
provides.  These commands are in no way specific to Darcs -- they work with
CVS, with Git, with Hg, and vc-darcs only extends them to work with Darcs.
You'll most likely want to know about the following:

  - C-x v =, or M-x vc-diff, which diffs the current buffer against the
    corresponding pristine (``master'') file,
  - C-x v l, or M-x vc-print-log, which shows the list of changes that
    apply to the file in the current buffer,
  - C-x v g, or M-x vc-annotate, which displays a readable version of
    ``darcs annotate'' (see the screenshot above),
  - C-x v v, or vc-next-action, which, in the case of Darcs, allows you to
    record changes for a file in state darcs/modified.

YMMV, but I find the state-requesting functions extremly useful.  I really
cannot live without C-x v =.  The state-affecting functions less so, since
I tend to prefer Darcs' interactive interface for recording.

                                        Juliusz